[ Home ] [ Speeches & statements ]

14 April 2009

Premier Lynne Brown saluted social workers this week, marking the occasion of Social Work Day, and thanking them for the work they’ve done in the past, are doing now and which they will be doing in the future.

“Social work, like nursing, is a calling a calling to serve humanity,” the Premier said. “Government acknowledges the importance of the work carried out by social workers and this is one of the reasons it has designated the type of work carried out by social workers to be a scarce skill.”

She said that more often than not, social workers have to be prepared to confront the ugliest, saddest and cruellest aspects of everyday life to help families and individuals take their proper place in society. Premier Lynne Brown was addressing a dinner for 1 000 social workers, honouring the work that they do, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) this week.

“In my State of the Province speech in February, I called for the setting up of partnerships between government and civil society, among others.

“I also called for a spirit of “activism” to take root in the Western Cape. Social workers embraced the notion of a partnership with government, as well as a spirit of activism, long before I made my call.

“In my opinion, social workers are the advance guard the 'early warning system' that tells us the extent to which far too many Western Cape families are being dragged down by poverty, unemployment, drug addiction, women and child abuse. It is your stories, your reports, and your advice that move governments to action,” she added.

Enquiries:
An Wentzel
Cell: 083 642 2519

Issued by: Office of the Premier Western Cape Provincial Government
14 April 2009
Source: Office of the Premier Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)